It's a 'One Day' Dream
by Aqua Alta
Summary: Even Phantom has his humane side, a side that dreams, and his dream is a sweet, sweet one.  And it is his fault that when he starts to dream, he wishes he never will never wake up.  Because the pain of reailty is indeed bittersweet. PhantomAlma.


_**It's a 'One Day' Dream**_

**Author's Note:**

**Another strange fic from me. Why the hell can't I write normal fics anyway?**

**Disclaimer:**** As you have known it, I do not own MÄR or the places and song mentioned here. But I do own Le Cherie, since it's a fake place created all to complete this story.**

_IMPORTANT SUGGESTION: IT IS ADVISED TO LISTEN TO THE SONG 'YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL' BY ERIC CLAPTON (IT'S HIS SONG, RIGHT?) WHILE READING THIS FIC. _

A tunnel.

The man observed his surroundings with vague interest, detached from the rest of the currently existing world. _'Where am I?'_

There was light at the end of the tunnel, bright blue light, yet not enough to be such a glare. He squinted, trying to make up what was within that light. He raised the remains of his left arm, ready to call his reliable ÄRMs whenever he needed to. Only to see white smooth skin, unmarked, unblemished, and long pale fingers instead of the bandages.

For the very first time since he was reawakened from death, Phantom's mind told him that he was surprised.

So he acted surprised (though he was wondering, how should he act surprised? The memory was kind of vague). And it resulted a single word, escaping from his parting lips. "Oh."

Wow. Oh. How lame was it? Even he thought it was lame. _'Now, what about Ginta's face when he realized that Tom and I were the same person?'_ Phantom mused, chuckling as he examined his new arm. _'That was a good reaction indeed from Ginta. Just enough to satisfy, since it was what I expected from him.'_

Yet Phantom, the number 1 Knight of the Chess no Koma, had no other chances to muse about Ginta and surprised reactions, since the blue light was engulfing him, enveloping him in a warm embrace. _'I wonder, why does this scene seem so common in the books?' _Phantom thought in slight distaste. _'All fictions in the castle's library describe this kind of scene as dying. But, hey, I cannot die (again) without the Purific Ave. Does that mean they are wrong? Perhaps I should hunt down the authors… But what about the War Game? Hmm, are the authors still alive, anyway?'_

Warm. It was all warm around him, and the warmth made him drowsy. _'Perhaps this is just a dream.' _It was Phantom's last vague thought before he drifted off, asleep, or perhaps just unconscious. Yet his mind did not have any spare time to think about that.

**XXX**

"Do you wish to have coffee or tea this morning, darling?"

Phantom frowned, or at least he thought he frowned. He sure ordered his body to contort a frown, but he knew he was not frowning. Where was he standing? A room, yeah, a room. With big windows, sunlight pouring inside generously, and a table heavily laden with strange breakfast. And the room seemed to be high on top of some kind of a building. _'An apartment,'_ an unknown voice within Phantom's mind told him. He pondered about the voice a bit, then decided to trust it. Hey, after all, his mind was never wrong. Of course it was an apartment. He lived in a luxurious apartment near Chelsea, England, right? Yeah, right.

"Tom dear, are you all right?"

The female voice snapped him back to reality. There was a woman, holding up two jugs of what seemed to be hot liquid. Tea and coffee. The brown one was tea, and the black one was coffee. Yup, he got them all. His mouth opened, and his tongue moved without his consent. "Coffee, Alma," he said, smiling. "I am sorry. I was still a little bit drowsy."

The woman chuckled, pouring the coffee-liquid into a cup standing next to a plate laden with bacons and omelette. Phantom listened with interest as his mouth groaned, "Alma, I thought you were giving me toasts with your delicious caramel and maple syrup, added with choices of chocolate and cinnamon sprinkles today." _'Cinnamon, chocolate, maple, and caramel?'_ Phantom mused inwardly. _'They sounded sweet. Sweet and delicious.'_

Alma laughed a melodious laugh Phantom found endearing. She walked to him, clad in her favourite Chloé blouse and white Burberry pants. Phantom managed to get a whiff of her Chanel No.5 as she approached him, slim and deft hands fixing his tie and tapping on his Armani suit, smoothing out nearly-non-existent wrinkles. "I wonder how you manage to stay slim despite your sugar intake, Tom," she teased him, playing with a strand of his platinum hair. He pouted, not satisfied with her words. She gave a playful peck on his cheek, and said with a broad smile, "Tomorrow. I promise. I am still trying to find your favourite chocolate brand. You know it is quite rare in Harrods."

"All right," Phantom sighed, his smile returning. He sat down on his seat, Alma taking the seat in front of his. He took a bite from his omelette, then glanced up at the woman. "Will we have lunch together today, Alma?" he asked, giving her a pleading look.

"Yes," Alma chuckled softly. "I cancelled my meeting just for your lunch. Why are you so insistent, anyway?"

Phantom gave her an alluring yet secretive grin. "It's a secret."

**XXX**

Phantom had lots to be mused about by the time he arrived at Le Cherie, a small and down-to-earth yet beautiful café in London, particularly close to both his and Alma's offices, yet he no longer needed to. London. That was the name of the city. England. That was the country. Earth. That was the world. He knew everything, yet was slightly detached, as if he did not fully belong there. He had left his Armani jacket at his office, instead only wearing his Armani shirt. The waiter there immediately jumped up to his feet when he saw him, and Phantom took his time explaining all his plans to the waiter. The waiter nodded enthusiastically, and he led Phantom to a secluded table near the biggest window of the café. "This is our most beautiful seat, sir," the waiter said, smiling proudly.

It was perfect. That was what Phantom could think about.

Alma arrived right in time, and when she walked towards him, he saw that her face was shining pleasantly. He gave her a peck on her forehead. "I thought Le Cherie was another luxurious restaurant that would cause my back to ache all over because of sitting straight and my face a smiling poker face because of keeping straight manners all the time," she giggled softly into his ears.

Phantom gave her his warmest smile. "You know you hate that kind of restaurants. What do you think about this place?"

"Perfect," Alma breathed, scanning her surroundings.

Phantom grinned boyishly. "I know."

**XXX**

The courses were great, comparable to most luxurious restaurants Phantom knew he often visited. Especially the hot chocolate. _'I should have visited this café more often,'_ he made a mental note.

When all plates were cleared away, Alma looked into his eyes, face radiant with pure happiness, and asked, "So, what is your secret?"

He stared back into her turquoise orbs, as beautiful they were. He caressed her cheek, smiling. "You are really beautiful."

That was the cue words. Immediately, four waitresses walked towards them, singing Happy Birthday loudly and clearly, their voice bright also with happiness because of merely seeing the happy couple. Other visitors watched, laughing and giggling ("How sweet!" an elderly woman spoke to his also elderly husband). When the four amateur singers were near enough to the two's table, they parted aside, revealing a waitress with a huge birthday cake with white and chocolate icings and another waitress with a bouquet of white roses encircled by a ring of blue irises.

As they placed the cake on the table and the bouquet on her lap, Alma was definitely glowing. Several tears rolled down her cheeks, and Phantom gently wiped them away, with all love he had felt since long, and was still feeling, and would still feel. "Happy birthday, my wife," he whispered, before giving her a chaste kiss, savouring her taste. _'I love you.'_

Then, as if reading his thoughts, she smiled and whispered, "I love you too."

**XXX**

Dinner was scrumptious. They went to one restaurant for the appetizers, departed for another for the main courses, and finally, as the desserts, to a café with chocolate as its speciality, thanks to Phantom's request.

Yet something was amiss. He knew whatever this world was, it would soon end, and he did not want it to end.

As he wiped a smudge of chocolate ice cream from the corner of Alma's lips, as Alma fed him with a mouthful of warm chocolate cake, as they jokingly debated over dishes, as they shared each laughter together, he knew something. The most simple yet beautiful thing he would never experience in MÄR Heaven, not with his role as the half-dead number 1 Knight of the Chess no Koma.

He loved. And he was loved.

**XXX**

It was nearly midnight.

Alma was reading a Vogue magazine, cuddling against his shoulder, both of them safe and comfortable on the couch of their apartment. He glanced at the grandfather clock standing at the corner. Fifteen minutes to midnight.

He stood up, and Alma watched him, putting down her Vogue magazine. He went to their iPod, sitting quietly on its table, attached to their sound system. He searched through the songs, before clicking the right one. Immediately, a mellow song started to echo throughout the room, and Alma smiled upon hearing the first notes.

"You're beautiful," Phantom said, for the very first time in his life feeling awkward and nervous, like a teenager with his first crush. He himself did not know whether he was merely saying the song's title or really saying his heart aloud. Yet Alma did not seem to mind either, and he decided, for Hell, he would not mind too. He extended an arm towards his princess and bowed, an inviting smile on his lips. "Will you honour this humble knight with a dance, milady?"

Alma laughed again, the laugh he loved so much, the laugh he would miss with each second of his non-existent life.

"An honour to me, milord."

And so they danced, 'till the grandfather clock struck one, 'till they both flopped down on the floor like a couple of kids, laughing and giggling, smiling and glowing merely at the other's presence. "You are really, really beautiful," Phantom whispered with such longing, such yearning, before placing all his unfathomable emotions into one last act.

A soft, naïve, and chaste kiss. All what was left of his innocence and purity.

"_There must be an angel_

_With a smile on her face_

_When she thought up that I should be with you_

…_But it's time to face the truth…_

_I will never be with you…."_

**XXX**

He woke up to the reality with a painful jolt.

Tears were running down his cheeks like twin silver streams, and there was no one to wipe them away.

Although it was unlike him, as if the 'Tom' from the other world was still there, Phantom touched his lips.

They were still warm. And the taste was still lingering there.

'_It's all right….'_

And so he drifted back to the unconscious world, yet this time to a world without dreams, with the song still trailing pleasant, undeniably pleasant memories within his mind.

"_And I don't know what to do…_

'_Cause I'll never be with you."_

**XXX**

**Uh…yay or nay?**

_Aqua Alta_


End file.
